[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8s-chAgIPU[/youtube]
By way of Twangville
Category Archives: Legends
Willie Nelson’s Birthday Texas Monthly Cover
The #1 Willie Nelson fan site stillisstillmoving.com gives us a sneak peak of of Texas Monthly‘s special tribute cover commemorating Willie’s upcoming 75th birthday. It will also be the first time TM HAS ever done a cover without a word on it in 35 years (well, for the 270,000 or so subscribers) the rest of the newsstand buyers will get a version with just one cover line, featuring Mike Hall’s 12,000-word oral history of soon-to-be-75-year-old Willie’s life.
This is surely one to pick up!
Harp Magazine Shutting Down – CRAP!
Well folks they’re dropping like flies. After the crappy news that No Depression would bite it after the May/June issue I’ve recently discovered that Harp magazine will pull the plug after the March/April issue, the one with Dave Grohl on the cover. Harp has been rock and alt.country friendly since the start and might have picked up some of the slack from ND going down but, well, there you go. I guess it’s all up to you now Blender! Just kiddin…
Harp started in the fall of 2001 and featured a cover story on Alejandro Escovedo. Among the artists who subsequently graced the cover of Harp during the last 7 years were Grohl, Cat Power, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Bright Eyes, Nick Cave, The Stooges, Drive-By Truckers, My Morning Jacket, Liz Phair, Tom Waits, The Roots, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Neko Case, Modest Mouse, Jay Farrar, Mars Volta, Devendra Banhart, Steve Earle, Pete Yorn, and Howe Gelb.
Yeah, blogs like your truly might address 1/100th of what was covered in these magazines but there was a legitimacy that ND and Harp had established through editorial excellence and championing the great unwashed underdogs and howling back-woods diamonds in the rough. As I’ve said before it was ND that brought country music that was still cool to my radar and caused me to waste time doing this for going on two years. As much as it blows to watch the grandfathers of genre’s media go down, I believe that the seeds are planted all over the world (like those of a wanton 70’s honky-tonker) that will allows the artists and fans to plan a world takeover…or at least an open mic night at Tootsies.
Drive By Trucker Drummer Brad and Wife Kimberly Morgan Have Baby
Congratulations to Drive By Truckers drummer Brad Morgan and his wife and musician Kimberly (from the band Kimberly Morgan and the Everlovin’ Band) for the arrival of the newest member of the Trucker family, Ruby Morgan!
The Dexateens have posted a new blog on MySpace about recording their new release “Lost and Found.” There’s also a cool blog about the making of the multi-media artwork that they used for the cover.
The Jack Grace Band starts their every Sunday night run at the Rodeo Bar (27th and 3rd Ave, New York, NY )
Sean Kershaw & the New Jack Ramblers plays Hanks Saloon ( 46 3rd Ave at Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, New York) tonight, and it’s FREE!
Country Stars Central has a fine interview with Brenda Lee. Branda talks about her life growing up poor in Atlanta, Georgia and her 1957 Grand Ole Opry Ryman Auditorium which also featured with Elvis Presley.
Willie Nelson News
As Willie Nelson fans well know, this year will mark the Texas Yoda’s 75th birthday (April 30th) and on top of the excellent just released box set One Hell of a Ride (Sony Legacy) and some great commemorative t-shirts, Legacy Recordings are posting a series of podcasts with Willie and host and Texas treasure in his own right Rodney Crowell. The first in a series of fifteen podcasts is currently posted.
Willie will bringing his legendary picnic back home and holding it in Selma, Texas. Ray Price, Merle Haggard and David Allan Coe are already confirmed to appear.
Tip of my hat to my pards at the 9513 and the #1 fan run Willie site Still Is Still Moving.
Shooter Jennings to open Charlie Daniels’ Volunteer Jam
Charlie Daniels has invited Shooter Jennings to open a series of Daniels’ Volunteer Jam concerts this year. April 11-12 in Harris, Mich. the bill also features .38 Special (which includes Donnie Van Zant, of the country duo Van Zant.)
The origial Volunteer Jam took place in 1972 was suppose to a one-off showcase of Daniel’s friend’s which just happed to be the best Southern Rock bands of the time which including the Allman Brothers Band and the Marshall Tucker Band.
Houston Chronicle Features Ray Price
The 9513 returned after a brief outage (hyew!) to draw my attention to this great article from the Houston Chronicle featuring country music legend Ray Price. Here’s a taste:
Price’s early notoriety was as a wingman, of sorts, for Hank Williams. They met in 1951 and became fast friends and roommates, drinking buddies and tour partners. Price would stand in when Williams was too drunk to perform. Williams got Price on the Grand Ole Opry. Price calls Williams “a great cat, down to earth.”
They were supposed to meet for lunch on the New Year’s Day, 1953, that news broke of Williams’ death. Price had seen him a few weeks earlier.
“He was pretty low. He was really depressed over his marriage and he slowly went (crazy). But he was a nice guy. Twenty-nine when he died. And he died at the top of the heap.”
Country Music Hall of Fame to Present the Williams Family Legacy
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will present an intimate, behind-the-scenes portrait of a great American musical dynasty in Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Co-Presented by SunTrust and Ford Motor Company, a more than 5,000-square-foot exhibition opening on Friday, March 28, 2008, and closing on December 31, 2009.
“The Williams family story may seem familiar,†said Museum Director Kyle Young. “However, this exhibit will take the visitor inside the family to revisit the life and impact of Hank Williams, examine the struggles and musical successes of his only son, Randall Hank Williams, and study the direct descendants, who are now striving within a new generation of artists, all measuring themselves by the example of Hank Williams.â€
The exhibition has benefited enormously from the blessing and cooperation of the family, including Randall Hank Williams, now known as singer-songwriter Hank Williams Jr.; Lycrecia Williams Hoover, Hank Jr.’s older sister and the only member of the family with clear personal memories of Hank Williams; and singer-songwriter Jett Williams, who discovered her Williams parentage in the 1980s. Lending their own stories and family mementoes are Hank Jr.’s eldest children, singer-songwriters Shelton Williams, now Hank III, and Hilary and Holly Williams.
Johnstown Folkfest Line Up
The 15th annual Johnstown Folkfest, August 29-31 in Johnstown, PA, has released their featured line-up.
Del Castillo, Tom Russell, Webb Wilder & The Beatnecks, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers, Shannon Whitworth (former of the Biscuit Burners), Big Sam’s Funky Nation (formerly trombonist for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band), Deke Dickerson & The Ecco-Fonics, Barrence Whitfield, Stacie Collins, Amy LaVere, Dallas Wayne, and Farmer Jason (Ringenberg, in his children’s musician mode).
Speaking of Jason Ringenberg, this years Folkfest will feature the first performance by Jason & The Scorchers outside of Nashville in five years.
“I’ll Love You till I Die” – Top 30 Country/Roots Love Songs
Sure most genres deal with topic of love but few can work all the angles like country and roots music. Courting, marriage, sex, cheating, fighting, break-ups, shooting, disposing of bodies… it’s all there in all its heart-wrenching glory.
Some old, some new, all guaranteed to get to you some when mixed with tequila and memories.
I’m sure I let some beauties sip so feel free to add your own.
1. He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
2. I Walk The Line – Johnny Cash
3. Angel Flying Too Close the Ground – Willie Nelson
4. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain – Willie Nelson
5. Always On My Mind – Willie Nelson
6. Valentine’s Day – Steve Earle
7. Still I Long For Kiss – Lucinda Williams
8. Marry Me – Drive By Truckers
9. Arlington – Ridley Bent
10. Dale Watson – Every Song I Write For You
11. Before The Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender
12. Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich
13. Oh My Sweet Carolina – Ryan Adams
14. Carrying Your Love With Me – George Strait
15. Cowboy Take Me Away – Dixie Chicks
16. Crazy – Patsy Cline
17. Gentle on My Mind – Glen Campbell
18. Lovin You Against My Will – Gary Allan
19. Golden Ring – George Jones and Tammy Wynette
20. He’ll Have To Go – Jim Reeves
21. Hello Darlin – Conway Twitty
22. Melissa – Allman Brothers Band
23. Hello Walls – Faron Young
24. Help Me Make It Through the Night – Sammi Smith
25. I Cross My Heart – George Strait
26. Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’ – Charley Pride
27. It Only Hurts When I Cry – Dwight Yoakam
28. Please Break My Heart – Thad Cockrell and Caitlin Cary
29. Lovesick Blues – Hank Williams
30. I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry – Hank Williams